


Concussions and Confessions

by pawsdash



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Concussions, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt Tony, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Sorry, Insecure Tony, M/M, Post-Concussion Syndrome, Self-Esteem Issues, Sick Tony, Sickfic, Tony Being Tony, i have a concussion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-05-26 05:31:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14993843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pawsdash/pseuds/pawsdash
Summary: Tony's bedridden and can't go on a mission. This doesn't sit well with Tony.





	Concussions and Confessions

**Author's Note:**

> So this is literally just a super short and overly-fluffy one-shot about Tony being grumpy and insecure. I was in a car accident two days ago (my fault) and got a major concussion so I'm currently on bedrest with Tony. Just wrote this up because I was super bored.
> 
> There's really no trigger warnings, though Tony does make some pointed jabs at himself due to his insecurity.

Tony missed a mission.

 

Instead, he was bedridden while the Avengers were out saving the world without him. The group came back with a bubbling air of success, all giddy grins and loud voices. It made Tony want to throw up- for the fifth time that afternoon, he added internally. Tony had missed a mission and the team had come back without a scratch on their skin. Some dark part of him had wanted them to fail without him there.

Of course, Steve had to interrupt his brooding. Jarvis announced his arrival, the doors sliding open before Tony could do anything to interrupt. Even the noise of the doors, however quiet he designed them to be, seemed like screeching metal-on-metal. He automatically felt himself recoil at the sudden noise, wincing and hoping that the dark had concealed his pained reaction from Steve.

The larger man had made his way over to the bed, sitting down on his own side and reaching out a gentle hand to comb through Tony’s messy hair. Tony wondered if Steve had thought he wouldn’t notice when the man’s hand stopped tousling his hair and felt against his forehead, frowning silently before releasing a held sigh.

“Tony,” Steve began, voice sympathetic. “How’re you feeling?”

Instead of answering, Tony just shrugged, wincing afterward as the movement shot an electric pain up his spinal cord and into his concussed head. He cursed under his breath, finally surrendering to the fact that Steve would treat him the same way anyhow- like he was a broken, sickly mess. To be completely honest, he knew that his condition shouldn’t have affected him as much as it did but even still, if he had so much as tried to get anything done in his workshop, he figured that the sheer mental stress of thinking would have him vomiting.

“It’s okay, Tony,” Steve continued, lowering his voice. “Everybody gets injured, you know-“

“ _Fuck off,”_ Tony hissed, both surprising and hurting himself with the sheer malicious power in his tone. He hadn’t even realized that so much anger was there, bubbling up inside of him at Steve’s words. Steve retracted his hand at Tony’s threat, eyebrows lifting in an expression of confused shock, maybe even hurt. “Don’t shit me and act like I’m not the fallible one here, super soldier. You haven’t been sick since my dad pumped you full of juice so don’t act like you know what I’m going through- and also, don’t read too much into that last sentence, I have a concussion.” He added, realizing even in his weak state that a good joke laid somewhere in there. He was too tired to care.

“There are other Avengers besides me,” Steve offered thoughtfully, though there was a significant lack of confidence in his tone.

“Really? Lets see: Thor is a literal god, I’ve never seen Widow crack, Bruce’s pet rage-monster spits out bullets, Clint is Clint, Vision walks through fucking walls, Wanda needs no explanation either, and then there’s you. So which other Avengers, Steve? I’m the one out cold for a week because of a little kick to the head.” 

“Tony,” Steve murmured, face having contorted into a hopeless expression of empathy. Tony could have punched the guy if he didn’t love him so much. Instead of offering an opportunity for Tony to refute his affection, Steve reached forward and swept the back of his palm over the other’s cheek. It came away wet. Tony’s eyes grew wide with surprise and he sniffed, recoiling into himself in embarrassment.

“ ’t’s just the goddamn concussion,” he mumbled, hoping that the excuse would be enough to assure Steve. “E-emotions are off the charts.” The effort to dismiss America’s golden boy didn’t seem to have much weight to it as Steve just continued to stare at him with those damn baby blues. 

“It’s okay to take time off, Tony. You work harder than all of us combined,” Steve pointed and okay, maybe that had some sort of truth to it. Tony grieved and toiled over new adjustments to weapons and suits and tech day in and day out for the team. “And besides that… you know you’re not weak for all of this, right? You’re worth just as much as the rest of us- and I’m not talking economically because you’d have us all beat out there.” A small smile tugged at the man’s lips. “So please, baby, how are you feeling? How can I help you?” 

Tony sniffed pitifully once again, swiping an arm across his wet cheeks once again and sighing. The offer hung in the air for a moment before the smaller man finally gave in, painstakingly pushing his torso up so that he could sit upright. Once he had achieved this, he all but climbed into Steve’s lap, surrendering to his nagging desire to be near to his other half. Steve simply chuckled softly under his breath and took Tony into his arms, allowing him to bury his aching head into the crook of Steve’s neck.

“I love you,” Steve mumbled, pressing an affectionate kiss to his forehead.

“And I love you, you annoying old man.”

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr: odetopsychiatry
> 
> (nothing super interesting on there but follow if you want to make requests, etc...)


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